If the south was picked as a reunion site what would be your choice of cities for the reunion.
I posted all the cities that was suggested in the 2008 Reunion

I also added Pensacola Florida. It is a neat place and surprised no one mentioned it.

I've voted, but I did notice Atlantic City, GA. I meant the one in NJ when I suggested it in the Reunion tread. Kind of funny seeing there's another AC.

I’m bad
When I saw your Atlantic City my mind took me to Atlanta Georgia.
Sorry: Well you know what I mean, If it wasn’t for that mistake Atlanta would not have been in the list.

A 'vote' may be fun, but it won't have much influence on the location for the next reunion - be that 2008, 2009 or later.

Let's not assume that where we'd LIKE to go will make the decision easier for those doing the actual decision-making.

And let's not have anyone MAD about the outcome of this poll whatever it is.

You've moved from a discussion of places to select from across the USA to which Southern location it is to be.

About the safest assumption at this point is that, if and when it happens, it won't be in San Diego, Providence, Baltimore, or Mackinac Island.

Having spent 37 years in the survey business, I would have asked "Here is a list of Southern Cities. Please check a box next to each city to indicates ones that you would like to go to."

Or "If a Harbour Lights reunion were held in these cities, please indicate ones you would NOT go to because it was in that city."

Just hold it somewhere. I'll go wherever you choose.

Thanks for 'the ruler on the knuckles' :rolleyes: , John. I believe we all know that when and where and if Harbour Lights has any function, signing, regional or Reunion, it is a business decision.

I applaud Daniel for sharing his enthusiam!

Bob

Thanks Bob
I appreciate your kind words.

It's not hard to know where Forum members would like to go!

I love to hear other collectors enthusiam.
I think that's the best thing about this board!

John,

I doubt that anyone participating in this poll thinks seriously that it will have much effect on the choice for the Reunion. It's just a way of getting a window into what some people are thinking after a number of ideas have been thrown out there.

It is what it is- just a simple non-scientific review of what aome like minded individuals would prefer. The answer these people gave tomorrow or if the questions were worded differently would probably be different and would count as much in the long run.

It might be a good idea if somebody did the same thing with several cities that have been mentioned elsewhere in the country- the result would be the same though.

It's just people having fun and passing the time- will some people feel bad if thier choice doesn't make it at the end- yup and those people would feel the same with or without this or other polls.

Let people have their little bit of fun without taking it so seriously.

Dennis

Yep... I applaud Daniel -- and everyone -- from sharing his/her enthusiasm.

Got my knuckles rapped in return.

I agree with Dennis 100% and applaud Daniel for having the foresite to even post the poll. Let's not take the fun out of posting with this poll and that poll could be written better, etc.

My reason behind wanting a reunion in Jacksonville is my wife's health. I wouldn't go to any reunion further then a couple hundred miles from Ocala so where it is is important to me but if any place further then that is chosen, then so be it. I'll still get my Reunion pieces somehow and enjoy hearing all about it.

Looking at the post with 37 participants
We have Charleston, South Carolina at first place.
Savannah, Georgia is second choice.
And Jacksonville is third.(acually Savannah was also third choice but since it was already chosen I went to the next one, Jacksonville)

I don’t know about the rest of you but what the poll is saying is exactly what I could pick up on just reading the 2008 reunion post. Even though it looks like I was promoting Jacksonville I would have to agree that Charleston would be the best choice for the south. Charleston has more lighthouses that can only be seen by boat. All the lighthouses in Jax’s area are reachable by land and probably most of us have seen the Jax’s area lights, especially since we had a regional here. There are probably quite a few Charleston lights most have not seen. Cape Romain, Georgetown, Haig Point and Morris up close. The main reason I like Jacksonville is that it has perfect weather in October and usually the Hurricanes are not an issue at that time of year. I suppose Charleston weather is not too bad, but I believe they get more rain and wind in October than Jacksonville. I also wanted something close for Rich to be able to go.

Even though we look at each reunion to be located at a different area, if you think about it for the new owner, this would be his first reunion as owner of HL. If I were going to spring for a reunion I would have it where ever I wanted it and not where Daniel or Rich or even the majority wanted it. So as said before this poll is not to persuade anyone but it is just for fun and for my own curiosity. But if anyone was going to happen to look for a popular reunion spot in the south I believe that it would have to be Charleston.

Does the HL Reunion have to be in the fall?

How about April of May in Charleston? Having lived in SC for 4 years, I think the spring is a beautiful time to visit Charleston. Charleston also has additional activities for entertainment...you can tour some of the old historic homes, take a carriage ride around the battery, walk through the straw market, take a boat tour out to Fort Sumter, or tour Patriot's Point where you can explore the Yorktown aircraft carrier.

Let's just start getting something planned for next year.

I thought Dave did a fantastic job on the last one! How about it Dave, any thoughts or opinions on a Charleston Reunion?

Sean, thanks for the compliments.

Knowing what I did for the Navy, I'm sure you realize that I am sitting back and reading and listening to people's thoughts. Some areas are more practical than others for doing gatherings. Sometimes an area would work for a regional of. say, 100 people but not for a reunion of 400. There are lots of factors that come into play. Even though I had a pretty good idea of some of the factors before I took on the Mackinac reunion, I now have an even better idea of what would work.

Bottom line is, always listening and getting ideas. Believe it or not, many of the places mentioned are already on "the list" of possible locations for events.

Things are changing in how Harbour Lights events are being done. The Mackinac reunion was the first that had to be self supporting. Because of this it was more expensive than previous ones, but I do feel participants did get a good value for their registration cost. I would imagine we will also see some changes in how regionals work. However, I think most realize that as long as I am involved I will work diligently to see that they receive a good value for any registration.

I think most of you know that at this point in time there is no chance of a 2008 reunion, that the earliest potential would probaby be 2010.

I don't think most of the people posting realized this, Dave..

In 2010 you can probably make it a combination of a Reunion and a Paul L Brady Retirement Party..

I knew there was probably no way a 2008 Reunion could be done- but I figured 2009 was doable.

I find it hard to believe that almost 3 years lead time is required to pull one off- but then again I've never planned something of that magnitude.

Dennis

Well if Harbour Lights makes it to 2010 and there's a Reunion coming this way I would be more than happy to help with anything that might be needed. 2010 sure seems a long time away. Gas Prices could nix the next one if we dont have it any sooner.

"Twenty-Ten". Sounds odd to the ear, even. But it does give people a lot of lead time to put some bucks away and accumulate some vacation time.

2010 would be Harbour Lights 20th Anniversary Year.

The time between Reunions grows:
1997
1998 = 1
2001 = 3
2005 = 4
2010 = 5 (if it happens)

That would make the next one in about 2017?

Maybe by 2010 hybrids and all-electric vehicles will be more readily available.

And by 2017, we'll be driving around in hydrogen powered vehicles or getting there in our air cars.

Perhaps we'll know a date range in 2008 so those who are still working by then (and not retired like Paul will be) will be able to get the dates off.

Whenever, wherever. The Lord willing I'll be there.

I thought for sure there would be a reunion in 2008. With the increase in HL collecting due to many newbie's, I though they would have them more often. Hallmark has one every two years and it strengthens there collector base.

Hard to believe it takes five years to plan an event.

That would be 20 years for the Younger's if they were still there and 5 Years for Devine. The latter not producing a reunion yet. And yes I do differentiate between the two. That's not bad or good but it is a major change that shouldn't be just smoothed over and amalgamated into 20 years.

With Dave's format I would have thought sooner might be an option. I would have thought that locations and planning might already have been getting kicked around. Hey why not, new managment, lets get out there and promote the Hell out of ourselves with a wiz bang of a Reunion. They're after new collectors right? Isn't that why we got Barking Rocks?

There's alot of knowledge that has been gained from putting on Reunions, I would hope that they would not be starting over. Pick a site, pick a date, pick an event piece, argue over the means of registration, ask people to come and all this takes three years? Ok, I guess. Not diminishing your hard work Dave! I know its more complicated than I joke. By 2010 AARP might be sending me membership info!

Gee Sean, my son already got that stuff, and he's only 32!

I recently added to an old vacation club account at my credit union that had been sitting idle for years, with a penny in it. Maybe by 2010 I'll have enough for at least a down payment!

After giving the whole reunion event topic further thought. Maybe there won't be anymore reunions. The new owners don't really have to have them.

Two regional events a year is actually pretty good for us collectors. Maybe they should just be split around the country more.

Regionals don't come close to the Reunions IMHO. I think we need to keep having Reunions to keep the social part of lighthousing alive as well as the Harbour Lights traditions.
Judy